Heading off first from Cork on Saturday after much arsing about and numerous stops, Bait, Tackle, KFC we set off on our merry way to St. Mullins in Carlow to join with MB.3 and Seaniebo to chance our arm for the elusive Twaite Shad. Arriving there in mid afternoon we were surprised to find the place near deserted aside from the 2 lads. Thats the joys of fishing during the FA cup final....
We tackled up with the traditional blue and silver Tasmanian devils and after hurling insults and abuse in the direction of the 2 lads (who were at that stage indulging in some girly coarse fishing involving size 16 hooks and funny maggoty things) we headed off and had a crack at the shads. Before Pete gets in here and starts telling all and sundry about me falling over I must clarify.... Stepping onto the bank in my rigger boots I found my feet just continuing down into depths of thick sticky mud and had to sit down to try and extricate myself from its grasp. There was so much laughter, in particular when the horrible Pete appeared with his camera that it was quite some time before, in some state of disrepair I managed to free myself and get fishing....
5th cast across the river and I was in..... Fishing with just 6lb line, I took it nice and easy with the fish and after a gentle retrieve of it I lifted a beautiful fish of maybe a pound and a half or so onto the bank. It was time to pause for a moment and have a smile and reflect on its capture with a celebratory cigarette. About a half hour later, Pete pulled in his first of 3, of similar size, the 2 of us were delighted, its nice when a plan comes together
. After that, it was time for some serious conservation minded angling, you know, the sort whereby you flog the water and catch no fish! It wasnt until around 8 pm with a filling tide that the fish began to show again. Between times I had a go at this coarse fishing malarkey to absolutely no effect....hmmm not for me I think...! Mark managed another fish, I think Seanie had 2 and Pete had another 2 also. I had to be content with just the one although I did mysteriously retrieve a large scale, not on the hook but on the side of the Taz at one stage. Hmmmm!
Special mention must go here to Seanie who managed to meet one of heroes in the shape of a splendidly bearded Bob Moss. Starstruck didnt come into it.....
(we didnt see bob catch a fish though... ) Much was to follow on that subject....Around 8.30, after a quick call to a Dublin hotel, we set forth for the capital to carry out one of the primary requirements and customs of a weekends fishing that should follow all new captures. IE Celebratory Pints. After a quick wash and brush up and a bite to eat in Beshoffs (Pete had his measure out making sure his fish cakes were over minimum size you will be pleased to know.) off we went. Seanie had a novel approach to hiding his ample mifdriff and that was to leave his jacket on all night, another good tip there Seanie, cheers! It was somewhat unusual to hear the phrase "do you know Bob Moss?" being used as an icebreaker and it led to much merriment it has to be said.....
Less said about that the better! 4 am rolled around all too fast and we hit the hay, having broken enough hearts for one night, tired but happy and more than a little fuzzy around the edges Chucking out time came all too soon the next morning and in various degrees of hungoverness we joined a buddy of mine for brekkie in Clontarf whilst deciding what to spend the rest of the day on. Following a phone call to the lads we headed to their Dublin Mark and found the place thronged with seals. You know the type, middleaged, large, swimming costumes..... A prayer was said for an appearance of Great White proportions to clear the water but alas it failed to appear.... And so after some more discussion with the lads, myself and Pete headed down the coast to the scene of the first SAI MA comp at Morriscastle in Wexford.
On arrival and after having to put up with Petes constant groaning and moaning about feeling ill for the duration of the journey, we arrived. After a plate of Sean Ogs finest which had miracle cure like properties for the ailing Pete we hit the beach. Weather was virtually calm and the sun was out which made for a much more pleasant environment than on our previous visit. The only bait we had was fresh Peeler crab (dammit!
) and on Seanies advice one rod was fished on front of the bar and another over the top. Pete fished one at range and a 3 hook scratcher in fairly close. It was comforting to see rod tips nodding on occasion signalling the presence of some life on the beach and I missed a cracker of a bite at range that heeled the tip of the Zippy over and kept it there as I struck it. I had some serious weight for a couple of seconds before all went slack as whatever it was threw the hook....
It wasnt too long however before Pete, whooping and dancing along the beach like a loon signalled the arrival of the first smoothie of the day to a small crab bait at range. Shortly after that on the rig fished short he added a small dab. It was with some relief that on retrieval of one of my one rods, dangling on the end was my first starry smoothie. The plan of attack had worked again! Pete very graciously after crossing my line allowed me to retrieve his scratching rig which contained a double shot of a small schoolie (speedily returned and away like a rocket) and a coalie. Thanks for that Pete! With not much time left, I dropped a small scratching rig in myself and we went off for a chat with a local who had joined us late on. Pete had a second smoothie just prior to that. After 20 minutes or so of chewing the fat, I retrieved my rods for the last time and on one was a small smoothie taken in close on the scratching rig and on the other was another small bass, duly unhooked in the suds and once again away like a rocket. Pete wound in a doggie to comprehensively kick my ass with his 5th species of the day.
It was a crying shame to leave the beach as it was really starting to fish well with the freshening breeze and dropping light but Cork and work the following day were weighing heavy on the mind so we packed up and hit the road. Tired and happy we were with the weekends fishing. Small the smuts may have been but no matter, we will return....! A super weekend of sun, sea, slagging, supping, catching fish and Bob Moss. Thats what its all about. Much appreciation and thanks to firstly Diamond Domeney for helping out on the bait front, (we owe you one) and Mark and Sean (chief Mosspots) for firstly sheer entertainment value and secondly all their advice and tips and info on marks, you made our weekend a cracker. Fair play to you all!
I'm sure Pete will follow here with a few snaps.
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Two new species in twaite shad and the smooth-hounds so delighted with the weekends fishing, was pleasantly suprised at how well Morriscastle was fishing...basically a fish a cast.
